Staib Helicopter

Last updated
Staib Helicopter
General information
Type Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States
Designer
Number built1

The Staib Helicopter is a homebuilt aircraft design of Wilbur Staib.

Contents

Design and development

Wilbur Staib (1914-1993) was a self-taught aircraft designer from Diamond, Missouri. Staib served as a flight instructor during the Second World War at Chanute, Kansas flying PT-14's. Staib designed and built five different "LB" (Little Bastard) aircraft and a helicopter, of which several had the title "world's smallest" at their time of construction. Staib flew his aircraft in airshows with the title "The Diamond Wizard". [1]

The Staib Helicopter is a powered by a Continental C85 with a V-belt linkage. The gearbox is sourced from a Ford Model A, the clutch from a Studebaker, the rotors cut down from a Brantly B-2 and cooling system from a Chevrolet Corvair. Four different rotor heads were tested. [2]

Operational history

The prototype was flown tethered with a 65 hp (48 kW) engine then upgraded to an 85 hp (63 kW) engine. [3]

Specifications (Staib Helicopter)

Data from Air Trails

General characteristics

References

  1. ↑ "Wilbur Staib" . Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Gene Smith (Winter 1971). "A Diamond Rotorcraft in the Rough". Air Trails.
  3. ↑ Gene Smith (Winter 1971). "A Diamond Rotorcraft in the Rough". Air Trails.
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